Fatah Al islam is the new breed of al qaeda

The Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2007 Nahr Al Bared refugee camp: As the fight between Islamic militants Fatah Al Islam and Lebanese forces continues - with a ceasefire holding just long enough to allow many civilians to flee - little is known about the group that says it refuses to surrender. Some observers say that the 200-300 fighters holed up inside Nahr Al Bared Palestinian refugee camp, and seemingly preparing for a protracted battle with Lebanon's Army, are adherents of Osama Bin Laden, part of a new generation of extremists tied to Al Qaida. But many of Lebanon's leading anti-Syrian politicians charge that this faction is little more than a tool of Syrian intelligence planted in Lebanon to wreak havoc and further destabilise the Western-backed government in Beirut. "Either way, this group is Al Qaida," says Amal Sa'ad Gorayeb of the Carnegie Endowment's Middle East Center in Beirut. "Whoever supports this group does not detract from the fact that their ideology is Al Qaida."She adds that Fatah Al Islam is an example of the "new breed" of Al Qaida, similar to Al Qaida in Iraq, which was made famous by its first leader, Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, before his death a year ago. "They are much more localised in aims and makeup like Al Qaida in Iraq," she says. Violent politics Syria has denied any involvement with the group, arguing that it faces threats of its own from home-grown jihadi militants. There have been several shootouts and attacks in the past three years, including one on the US Embassy in Damascus, by suspected militants. "Our forces have been after them, even through Interpol," Walid Mua'alem, Syria's foreign minister, said earlier this week. "We reject this organisation. It does not serve the Palestinian cause, and it is not after liberating Palestine." Still, the violent politics and shifting alliances and interests of the region can produce strange bedfellows. Many analysts say there is little doubt that although the Syrian regime is nominally secular, its intelligence services for years have exploited militant Islamic extremists to serve their own purposes. "Syrian intelligence sent hundreds if not thousands of innocent-minded young men to Iraq to struggle against the Americans," says Radwan Al Sayed, a professor of Islamic studies at the Lebanese University and adviser to Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. "They tried to make an Islamist International in Iraq, like the Arabs and Americans did against the Soviets in Afghanistan." Gazi Aridi, the Lebanese information minister, described Fatah Al Islam as a "terrorist phenomenon that is alien to the values and nature of the Palestinian people." The Palestinian residents of Nahr Al Bared say they have little sympathy for the group.

In lebanon the army is ready to destroy the al fatah

North braces for next round at Nahr al-Bared Washington sends six plane-loads of materiel as fighting resumes at battered refugee camp By Rym Ghazal Daily Star staff BEIRUT/NAHR AL-BARED, REFUGEE CAMP: A spokesman for the Fatah al-Islam militant group said that members of the group were "ready to die" as the Lebanese Army resumed shelling of militant positions Thursday evening, ending a truce that had largely held since Tuesday afternoon. "We are ready to die," Abu Salim Taha told The Daily Star in a telephone interview. "We only have two options now, to die as martyrs or win," said Abu Salim. "Winning," he explained, meant "succeeding in the cause that we were established for in the first place." Thousands of Palestinian refugees evacuated Nahr al-Bared during the cease-fire, with the last batch leaving through the camp's south gate Thursday afternoon. Most headed for shelters established at schools and other buildings inside the nearby Beddawi camp. Thirty two-soldiers had been killed in fighting as of Thursday, while conflicting reports put the number of militants dead at between 22 and 60. Safad Hospital in Beddawi said on Thursday that it had received the bodies of 17 civilians but expected many more as access to Nahr al-Bared improved. Palestinian sources said on Thursday that 19 or 20 civilians had been killed since the battle started on Sunday. Other sources have put the number, which could not be independently confirmed, higher. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora vowed on Thursday to triumph in fighting with the militant group. A day earlier, Defense Minister Elias Murr had said that the militants would be killed if they did not surrender. The streets of Tripoli were deserted late Thursday, with Lebanese Army checkpoints throughout the city, witnesses said, describing a mood of heightened tension. The army fortified positions around Nahr al-Bared during the day on Thursday. Witnesses described sporadic gunfire. The United States announced that it was sending six military cargo planes with arms and supplies to arrive in Lebanon on Thursday and Friday. The head of Fatah al-Islam, Shaker Youssef al-Absi, is a Palestinian accused by Jordanian authorities of having collaborated with the deceased leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in the 2002 killing of a US diplomat in Amman and other crimes. Zarqawi was killed by a US air strike in 2006. Fatah al-Islam is believed to be a splinter group of the Syrian-based Fatah al-Intifada. Fatah al-Islam has said that it is a "jihadist" group and that it had been training in North Lebanon to liberate Jerusalem. In a related development, security forces were reportedly chasing two armed militants near Balamand in North Lebanon as The Daily Star went to press. The army said Thursday that for the second time in as many days, it had sunk two boats carrying Fatah al-Islam militants trying to flee Nahr al-Bared. Abu Salim, however, denied the report. "We don't have boats or know how to swim. We will stay at our post until death," he said. The army also accused the group of using civilians as "human shields" and warned of a heavy fighting to come. "We hold Fatah al-Islam responsible for everything that ... might take place if it resumes attacks on our positions and continues to use Palestinian civilians as human shields," the army said in a statement released on Thursday. "The Fatah al-Islam gang is using Palestinian civilians as human shields, firing on humanitarian convoys and has even confiscated ambulances," it added. "The army is keen to protect the lives of innocent civilians," the statement said, "and has facilitated the evacuation of the wounded through the Lebanese Red Cross and the Palestinian Red Cross." The army said numbers of civilian casualties previously announced in the media had been "exaggerated." "Only one dead civilian and 19 wounded others have been evacuated by relief agencies ... which proves that the army did not target civilian areas but directed its fire on the positions of the gunmen," the army statement said. Palestinian President and Fatah Movement leader Mahmoud Abbas echoed denials by other Palestinian leaders of any links with Fatah al-Islam. "We have nothing at all to do with those they call Fatah Al-Islam," Abbas said on Thursday during a press conference in Gaza City with visiting EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. "We do not approve of the actions by this group," he said. Abbas said the Fatah Movement would send humanitarian aid to displaced residents of Nahr al-Bared. A statement posted on the Internet Thursday and attributed to the militant group Jund al-Islam in the Gaza Strip called for "jihadists" to rally behind Fatah al-Islam. Jund al-Islam, which said it was behind the kidnapping of BBC journalist Alan Johnston in Gaza City on March 12, issued the plea on a Web site often used by Islamic militants. "Our Sunni brothers and jihadists, we say to you that what is now happening at Nahr al-Bared is nothing but an example of what will happen to you ... so speed to help make your brothers victorious," said the statement. Siniora on Thursday sought to respond to reports accusing the Lebanese Army of unjustly killing Bilal Drakish, also known as Abu Jandal, who died in a raid by on a home Tripoli. Police said that Drakish was shot to death on Wednesday as he prepared to throw a grenade at a group of security forces raiding an apartment in the city's northern neighborhood of Tibanneh. A committee for detainees in Dinniyeh released a statement condemning the killing. Drakish was "unfairly killed as he was a resident from Tripoli and was not a member of Fatah al-Islam," the statement said. Siniora requested an investigation into the incident. On Tuesday, another Fatah al-Islam militant - wearing a suicide belt - blew himself up in an apartment in Tripoli as security forces closed in on him. No one else was killed in Tuesday's incident, which was the first case of a suicide bomber directly confronting security forces in Lebanon.

PM Maliki announces Iraqi Cabinet changes

Iraqi Prime Minister announces Cabinet changes By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press WriterThu May 24, 7:21 AM ET Iraq's prime minister asked Parliament Thursday to approve six new Cabinet members to replace a group which resigned last month on the orders of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Al-Sadr ordered his ministers to quit the government over Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's refusal to call for a timetable for U.S. withdrawal. The anti-American cleric went into hiding in Iran last February when the Baghdad security crackdown was launched. In Parliament, al-Maliki thanked al-Sadr for giving him the "authority to choose the ministers." He told the chamber, which will decide in a vote Sunday, that all six were independent "not because we have something against parties, but we were keen on their being independent because that was one of the conditions put for the selection." Al-Maliki was upset because there were not enough legislators to approve his choices on the spot, and was instead forced to delay the vote by three days. He admitted that he took a long time in choosing them, but said it was the result of the time needed to review the candidates history. Describing them as technocrats, he said none had any record of corruption. He also announced a future Cabinet reshuffle, but said he had not yet received any proposals for candidates from the parties that make up his government. "Some blocs want to change their ministers, and some ministers we want to change. It is not a shame to talk about a Cabinet reshuffle because we seek the best" people, al-Maliki told Parliament. The new six candidates included one woman, Khiloud Sami, who has been proposed for the post of state minister for provincial affairs. Although the religious affiliation of the six were not announced, all had traditionally Shiite names. The six are Sabah Rasoul for Health ministry, Ali al-Bahadli for Agriculture, Amir Abdul-Jabbar for Transportation, Thamir Jafar al-Zubaidi for the Civil Society Ministry, and Zuhair Mohammed Ali Sharba for the Tourism and Antiquity ministry.

Iraq Bloggers Roundtable with General Phillips

The Iraqi reconstruction project has been a challenge- 13 billion dollars involved with 8.5 billion completed and 3.5 billion still to be spent. Infrastructure was in worse shape than we ever believed possible when we first arrived in 2003. Electrical system now has up to 12 hours daily service. World Bank states 100 billion dollars needed for the entire country to come up to international standards. Donor nations and Iraq must come up with the remainder of the funding gap. Capitol budget will need to be used to bridge gap. Health care with clinics and hospitals: have worked on 20 hospitals including Najaf teaching hospital with 13 teaching rooms that has now been totally renovated. 138 primary health clinics being built throughout entire country. Turnkey facilities with X-ray and dental offices to run a small local clinic and turned over to the Iraqi Ministry of Health who will provide doctors and staffing. Big project is in Basra Children's hospital which is also a teaching facility. 51% completed and will be turned over in July 2008. The Ministry of Health does not have the complete ability to sustain the facilities: logistics is difficult as they have shortages with consumables but they are learning how to do it. Generators need the fuel trucks so it is a long chain of supply and a great deal of maintenance is needed. Generally the staff is working well and the clinics are online. Work closely with Brinkley group in getting fuel out to the periphery and business sites as electricity is hardest to deliver. Currently up to 50% of the country needs greater electricity so phosphate plants are hard to get up and running as they utilize so much electricity. Security in Anbar compared to rest of country: everyone quite excited with progress there in destroying Al Qaeda. Number of attacks has gone down significantly. Tremendous change out there in the West. Oil production up to 2.6 million barrels a day from 2.1 million. Capacity is up to 3 million but problem is the pipeline and exporting. Reporters state not enough electricity but that is not accurate because Iraq has NEVER had 24 hour service. When you fly over Baghdad at night it is well lit up with spot generators every other street corner. They can use air conditioners and refrigerators and need to add to the grid instead. 8 Clinics have now been completed. 80 clinics now 90% complete and these will be turned over in next several months. Water projects and sewage treatment in Ramadi has greatly improved- total turnaround. Nasariya 250 million dollar water treatment plant where Iraqis are being trained to run it. Irbil also has huge water treatment plant for its 1 million citizens. Falluja is seeing its own plant being built but complex contracting issues have to still be overcome. Just look at US infrastructure projects and how long they take so we can't turn around an entire country in 3 years but there has been great progress. Electricity, clinics, water treatment, childrens hospital all showing great progress. 3,200 total projects have been completed in last 3 years.

President authorizes covert action against iran

I sure hope this is accurate, but doubt it.. May 22, 2007 6:29 PMBrian Ross and Richard Esposito Report:The CIA has received secret presidential approval to mount a covert "black" operation to destabilize the Iranian government, current and former officials in the intelligence community tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com.The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, say President Bush has signed a "nonlethal presidential finding" that puts into motion a CIA plan that reportedly includes a coordinated campaign of propaganda, disinformation and manipulation of Iran's currency and international financial transactions. "I can't confirm or deny whether such a program exists or whether the president signed it, but it would be consistent with an overall American approach trying to find ways to put pressure on the regime," said Bruce Riedel, a recently retired CIA senior official who dealt with Iran and other countries in the region. A National Security Council spokesperson, Gordon Johndroe, said, "The White House does not comment on intelligence matters." A CIA spokesperson said, "As a matter of course, we do not comment on allegations of covert activity."The sources say the CIA developed the covert plan over the last year and received approval from White House officials and other officials in the intelligence community.Officials say the covert plan is designed to pressure Iran to stop its nuclear enrichment program and end aid to insurgents in Iraq."There are some channels where the United States government may want to do things without its hand showing, and legally, therefore, the administration would, if it's doing that, need an intelligence finding and would need to tell the Congress," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, a former White House counterterrorism official.Current and former intelligence officials say the approval of the covert action means the Bush administration, for the time being, has decided not to pursue a military option against Iran."Vice President Cheney helped to lead the side favoring a military strike," said former CIA official Riedel, "but I think they have come to the conclusion that a military strike has more downsides than upsides."The covert action plan comes as U.S. officials have confirmed Iran had dramatically increased its ability to produce nuclear weapons material, at a pace that experts said would give them the ability to build a nuclear bomb in two years. Riedel says economic pressure on Iran may be the most effective tool available to the CIA, particularly in going after secret accounts used to fund the nuclear program."The kind of dealings that the Iranian Revolution Guards are going to do, in terms of purchasing nuclear and missile components, are likely to be extremely secret, and you're going to have to work very, very hard to find them, and that's exactly the kind of thing the CIA's nonproliferation center and others would be expert at trying to look into," Riedel said. Under the law, the CIA needs an official presidential finding to carry out such covert actions. The CIA is permitted to mount covert "collection" operations without a presidential finding."Presidential findings" are kept secret but reported to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and other key congressional leaders.The "nonlethal" aspect of the presidential finding means CIA officers may not use deadly force in carrying out the secret operations against Iran.Still, some fear that even a nonlethal covert CIA program carries great risks."I think everybody in the region knows that there is a proxy war already afoot with the United States supporting anti-Iranian elements in the region as well as opposition groups within Iran," said Vali Nasr, adjunct senior fellow for Mideast studies at the Council on Foreign Relations."And this covert action is now being escalated by the new U.S. directive, and that can very quickly lead to Iranian retaliation and a cycle of escalation can follow," Nasr said.Other "lethal" findings have authorized CIA covert actions against al Qaeda, terrorism and nuclear proliferation.Also briefed on the CIA proposal, according to intelligence sources, were National Security Advisor Steve Hadley and Deputy National Security Advisor Elliott Abrams. "The entire plan has been blessed by Abrams, in particular," said one intelligence source familiar with the plan. "And Hadley had to put his chop on it."Abrams' last involvement with attempting to destabilize a foreign government led to criminal charges. He pleaded guilty in October 1991 to two misdemeanor counts of withholding information from Congress about the Reagan administration's ill-fated efforts to destabilize the Nicaraguan Sandinista government in Central America, known as the Iran-Contra affair. Abrams was later pardoned by President George H. W. Bush in December 1992. In June 2001, Abrams was named by then National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice to head the National Security Council's office for democracy, human rights and international operations. On Feb. 2, 2005, National Security Advisor Hadley appointed Abrams deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor for global democracy strategy, one of the nation's most senior national security positions. As earlier reported on the Blotter on ABCNews.com, the United States has supported and encouraged an Iranian militant group, Jundullah, that has conducted deadly raids inside Iran from bases on the rugged Iran-Pakistan-Afghanistan "tri-border region."U.S. officials deny any "direct funding" of Jundullah groups but say the leader of Jundullah was in regular contact with U.S. officials. American intelligence sources say Jundullah has received money and weapons through the Afghanistan and Pakistan military and Pakistan's intelligence service. Pakistan has officially denied any connection.A report broadcast on Iranian TV last Sunday said Iranian authorities had captured 10 men crossing the border with $500,000 in cash along with "maps of sensitive areas" and "modern spy equipment."A senior Pakistani official told ABCNews.com the 10 men were members of Jundullah. The leader of the Jundullah group, according to the Pakistani official, has been recruiting and training "hundreds of men" for "unspecified missions" across the border in Iran.

Situation in Iraq today

The Baghdad Order Of Battle as of May 20, 2007. By DJ Elliott, CJ Radin and Bill Roggio It's been three months since the commencement of the Baghdad Security Plan on February 14, and the operation has been marked by both considerable progress and painful setbacks. While the violence in Baghdad has decreased to levels not seen since prior to the bombing of the Samarra mosque, al Qaeda and its allies have carried the fight into the surrounding provinces in an attempt to discredit the plan and destabilize the Iraqi government. In the capital, al Qaeda has not staged a successful mass casualty suicide attack since May 11. Mortar and IED attacks, small arms engagements, small car bombs, and other forms of violence prevail; however, the sectarian killings that once threatened to plunge the country into a full-fledged civil war continue to remain at a low level. Al Qaeda has conducted the majority of its large-scale attacks in the provinces--Niwena, Kirkuk, and Diyala. The Baghdad Operational Command and Multinational Forces Baghdad continue to position their forces throughout the city. The first Iraqi Army units to enter the city on a 90-day deployment rotation are now beginning to rotate out, with new units coming in to replace them. Elements of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Iraqi Army Division and the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Iraqi Army Division have been spotted in the Bayaa and Doura districts. The 3rd Brigade of the 4th Iraqi Army Division has moved back to the Kirkuk region, while it appears the 4th Brigade of the 1st Iraqi Army Division has been rotated back to eastern Anbar province. The most significant event to occur in Iraq over the weekend was the formation of the Salahadin Awakening, which opposes al Qaeda's attempt to Talibanize Iraq and erode the traditional power of tribal leaders. Stars & Stripes reported that the Baghdad tribes met to form the front; but, in fact, the tribes represented at the meeting were mostly from Salahadin province. The meeting occurred in Taji, and tribes were present from the northern portion of Baghdad province and Salahadin. Recently, the tribes of Diyala formed the Diyala Awakening in an attempt to replicate the success of the Anbar Salvation Council, which is largely responsible for the dramatic turnaround in the security situation in that province. The potential effect of the Salahadin Awakening became apparent early last week when Iraqi civilians in Duluiyah came to the aid of Iraqi police under attack at a checkpoint in that city. "In response to the attack, 20 armed men from a nearby neighborhood assembled and quickly came to the aid of the policemen manning checkpoint," Multinational Forces Iraq stated. "This grass roots effort contributed a significant impact in thwarting the attack . . . local citizens also responded according to a plan they developed for neighborhood defense." Nine days after the ambush on a U.S. patrol in the 'Triangle of Death' region south of Baghdad, U.S and Iraqi security forces continue to search for the three missing soldiers--five others were killed in the al Qaeda attack. General David Petraeus stated on Friday that intelligence indicates at least two of the soldiers are still alive. Multinational Forces Iraq has information on the cell that conducted the attack and has captured several of its members. Raids have been carried out as far away as Amiriyah in neighboring Anbar province, where nine suspects were captured. The U.S. military has offered a $200,000 reward for information leading to the discovery of the soldiers, and significant resources, including a Stryker battalion, two aviation battalions, and an Iraq Special Operations Forces battalion, have been diverted from Baghdad and Taji to assist with the search operations. All told, over 4,000 U.S. and 2,000 Iraqi troops have been assigned to the search operation. Task Force 145, the hunter-killer special operations teams assigned to target the al Qaeda network, has very likely been added to the mix. Prior to its deployment to the Sunni Triangle, the battalion of 1st Iraq Special Operations Forces was tasked with targeting Mahdi Army cells in Sadr City in Baghdad. The 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Stryker Combat Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, was previously based in the Bayaa district in southern Baghdad. The two aviation battalions, the 3rd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment [Blackhawk transport helicopters] and the 4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment [Apache attack helicopters] from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division were based out of Taji. The shift of the 1-23 Stryker Battalion and 1st Iraqi SOF will negatively impact operations in Baghdad, while the movement of the two aviation regiments from Taji will negatively impact operations in Salahadin and Diyala. The Triangle of Death remains one of the most violent spots in the Baghdad belts, as al Qaeda and allied insurgent groups have established bases of operation there from which to attack targets in both Baghdad and Karbala provinces. U.S. and Iraq forces have been preparing to conduct operations in the region in support of the Baghdad Security Plan. The capture of the three American soldiers has forced Multinational Forces Iraq to change the time line and push forward operations south of Baghdad. As a result, the Triangle of Death is getting its surge early and hard, and the hunt for the missing soldiers is turning up a wealth of intelligence on al Qaeda's network in the region. As Iraqi and Coalition forces scour the area, the province of Diyala, where al Qaeda has established its command headquarters, has been the scene of increased activity over the past several weeks. Al Qaeda conducted a sophisticated attack in a Kurdish village at the northern edge of the province along the Iranian border, targeted a military outpost and a bank in Baqubah, and employed a chlorine gas suicide attack in the town of Abu Sayadah. U.S. forces detained two al Qaeda leaders in a raid in the city, while the general commanding the 5th Iraqi Army Division was relieved of his command. Recent moves by al Qaeda, as well as by U.S. and Iraqi forces, likely indicate that the Diyala Campaign is coming, and soon. The Iraqi military, which plans to add an unspecified number of troops to the province along with at least one additional U.S. combat brigade, is installing more reliable commanders prior to opening up the new offensive. Competent leadership in the Iraqi Army is required to coordinate efforts with the newly created the Diyala Awakening, the grouping of anti-al Qaeda tribal, religious, and political figures, as the tribal and ethnic dynamics are far more complex in Diyala as they are in Anbar province. Al Qaeda wants to maintain the pressure on U.S. and Iraqi security forces and keep the political and media pressure on the American government. Al Qaeda is also attempting to maintain its base of operations in Diyala, which serves as a launch point for attacks into Baghdad. The operation on the Iranian border may also be a sign the terror group is attempting to secure a fall back position. The U.S. and Iraq military are working to cordon the province to prevent al Qaeda from escaping and to create a kill box or remaining enemy forces. Al Qaeda may be attempting to secure their exit into Iran.The northern region has seen a recent spike in activity, as a significant number of Iraqi Army units have deployed to Baghdad in support of the surge. On May 16, over 200 al Qaeda attacked a police station in Mosul. Fifteen terrorists and four police were killed in the battle. Also, al Qaeda attacked and destroyed two bridges in Mosul in a coordinated suicide car bomb attack. These are the sixth and seventh bridges hit over the past two months. In Kirkuk, al Qaeda conducted a series of attacks that targeted municipal leaders, police, a school, and a health center. Despite the increase in al Qaeda attacks, Iraqi Army and police units have held their ground.After a long lull in al Qaeda's chemical attacks, the terror group launched two successful chlorine gas suicide attacks--the tenth and eleventh such attacks in Iraq this year. The previously mentioned attack in Abu Sayadah in Diyala province resulted in 45 killed and 60 wounded or poisoned. Last weekend, al Qaeda conducted another such attack against a police checkpoint in the town of Zangoura, north of Ramadi. Eleven police and civilians were treated for chlorine poisoning. On the Iranian front, Multinational Forces Iraq killed a major player in the January 20 kidnapping and murder of five American soldiers during a complex attack on the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in Karbala. On May 19, Coalition forces killed Azhar al-Dulaimi during a raid north of Baghdad. Azhar al-Dulaimi is described as the "mastermind" and "tactical commander" of the Karbala attack and is known to have been a key player in numerous other high-profile terror attacks in Iraq. He was a major figure in the Iranian-supported Qazali network. "Intelligence reports indicate Dulaimi received military training from Iranian intelligence agents and from Lebanese Hezbollah, to include training on how to conduct terrorist-style kidnapping," according to the Department of Defense. U.S. forces continue to dismantle Iranian-backed networks, which smuggle weapons into the country from Iran, including the dangerous armor piercing explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, and facilitate the movement of fighters between Iran and Iraq. Coalition forces dismantled yet another EFP cell last week. This was the sixth such raid on that particular network in less than two weeks, with 13 members of the EFP cell killed and 29 captured. The United States Army still has one more combat brigade to throw into the fight, and Baghdad has not yet been fully cleared. The last brigade is scheduled to begin its deployment into Iraq in early June. As the Iraqi summer heats up, the intensity of the fighting in Diyala, eastern Anbar, and the Triangle of Death, as well as inside Baghdad, will only increase.

weekly good news from iraq

1) Tribal Leaders In Diyala Province Reaffirm Commitment to Unity http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/may2007/a051707ls1.html Local Iraq officials focus on recruiting police, creating peace. TIKRIT, Iraq, May 17, 2007 — As coalition and Iraqi security forces continue to provide security and stability throughout Diyala Province, Iraq, many tribal leaders are also united in their efforts to bring peace and stand up against al-Qaida in Iraq. After a peace agreement was signed between the paramount sheiks of the Karki and Shimouri tribes, April 30, other tribal leaders gathered throughout the region to do the same – provide peace and protection for their people and their lands. At the Al Abarrah Iraq Army compound, local leaders gathered, May 10, to pave a way ahead for peace between some of the rival villages and gain a commitment toward a unified stand against al-Qaida while supporting the government. 2) Iraqi Central Bank starts applying electronic payment system Translated by IRAQdirectory.com - [17/05/2007] http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3781 The Iraqi Central Bank began applying the electronic payment system RTGS, with the accession of a number of Iraqi banks effectively. A source in the Bank said that: the modern payments system would facilitate payment processes among banks and between them and the Central, as all banks have accounts in the Central Bank. 3) Transition team advances Iraqi training http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11888&Itemid=1 BAGHDAD 18 May— New Iraqi Soldiers trained on essential skills at the “Lions Academy” Sunday and Monday. Members of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division Military Transition Team conducted additional training on essential skills for Iraqi Soldiers who recently graduated from basic training. 4) Anbar Province Getting Better, Marine Commander Says By Gerry J. Gilmore, American Forces Press Service http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htproc/articles/20070515.aspx May 15, 2007 - 4:50:19 PM Blackanthem Military News, WASHINGTON, D.C. – Life in Iraq's Anbar province is still dangerous, but security is improving, the senior commander for ground operations in the province said yesterday in Baghdad. For example, 22 joint security stations in the town of Ramadi now are helping to tamp down violence, Marine Brig. Gen. Charles M. Gurganus, ground forces commander for Multinational Force West, said during a news conference 6) Turning The Corner In Iraq By Steve Schippert http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Printable.asp?ID=28345 May 18, 2007 The progress in the past three short months in Iraq is unmistakable. Since General Petraeus has taken command of MNF-I forces in mid February, the convergence of developments has fundamentally changed the outlook in Iraq. While “The Surge” has dominated discussion – be it on operational tempo within Baghdad or withdrawal timetables within the DC Beltway – progress on several vital fronts is beginning to reshape realities on the ground. 7) Iraq's SCIRI party to change platform 11 May 2007 14:57:28 GMTSource: Reuters By Mariam Karouny BAGHDAD, May 11 (Reuters) - Iraq's most powerful Shi'ite party will make key changes to its platform, party officials said on Friday, in a move that will increasingly align it with Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. The changes could distance the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) from neighbouring Shi'ite Iran 8) As Surge Begins To Take Hold, Tribal Leaders Turn on Qaeda BY ELI LAKE - Staff Reporter of the Sun May 14, 2007 http://www.nysun.com/article/54368 ABU GHRAIB, Iraq — In the aftermath of America's recent troop surge in Iraq, tribal leaders throughout this country are turning on Al Qaeda, and American military commanders are trying to exploit the new development by bringing tribe members into the Iraqi Security Forces. For those officers overseeing the new tribal diplomacy, signs are emerging that Iraq's deepest social networks — its tribes — are withdrawing their tacit acceptance of Al Qaeda and are becoming more willing to cooperate with American authorities to combat the terror network. 9) Leading Sunni Cleric Now in Opposition to Al Qaeda http://www.time.com/ Monday, May. 14, 2007 By BOBBY GHOSH/BAGHDAD Al-Qaeda has lost its most powerful friend in Iraq: Harith al-Dari, the country’s most influential Sunni cleric and a prominent anti-American figure, has rejected al-Qaeda’s vision of an Islamic state, telling TIME that Iraqis “will not accept such a system.” In a sharp departure from his long-standing view of the terror group, al-Dari now says al-Qaeda has “gone too far.” 10) CNN Good News Report on Al Anbar Province by Nic Robertson: http://patdollard.com/2007/05/15/even-time-magazine-cant-hide-it/#more-587 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b15_1179232516

Lebanon Army fights militants, blasts hit Beirut

By Nazih Siddiq Sun May 20, 6:32 PM ET Lebanese troops battled Sunni Islamist militants based in a Palestinian refugee camp on Sunday and 50 people were killed in Lebanon's bloodiest internal feuding since a 1975-90 civil war. Twenty-five soldiers and 15 militants died in fighting which erupted before dawn at Nahr al-Bared camp and the nearby Sunni Muslim city of Tripoli, in north Lebanon. Forty soldiers were wounded. A cabinet minister said the fighting with Fatah al-Islam, which the government says is backed by Syria, seemed timed to try to derail U.N. moves to set up an international court to try those suspected of carrying out political killings in Lebanon. In Beirut, an explosive device planted under a car parked by a popular shopping mall in the mainly Christian east of the capital killed a woman, a security source said. At least 10 people were wounded by flying glass. Four Fatah al-Islam members were charged with bombings in the capital earlier this year, but it was not immediately clear if there was any link between Sunday's explosion and the fighting in the north. Security sources said at least 15 militants were killed when troops stormed buildings in Tripoli, where some of them were holed up. Palestinian officials in the camp, home to 40,000 refugees, said at least 10 civilians were killed and 50 wounded. Lebanese officials could not say whether militants inside the camp had been killed. The army blasted militant positions in the camp with tank, mortar and machinegun fire, a military source said. The International Committee of the Red Cross appealed for access to the camp. "We haven't been able (to go in), because of the heavy fighting. We don't know how many wounded there are inside," spokeswoman Virginia Dela Guardia told Reuters. Fatah al-Islam, a Sunni group, said the army had launched an unprovoked attack. "We warn the Lebanese army of the consequences of continuing the provocative acts against our mujahideen who will open the gates of fire ... against (the army) and against the whole of Lebanon," it said in a statement faxed to Reuters. The authenticity of the statement could not be verified. The army had tightened its grip around Nahr al-Bared after four Fatah al-Islam members, all Syrian nationals, were charged with planting bombs on two buses in a Christian area near Beirut in February. Three civilians were killed in those attacks. Fatah al-Islam is known to have Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians in its ranks. Its leader is a Palestinian. U.N. TRIBUNAL Cabinet minister Ahmad Fatfat, speaking in Tripoli, said the violence was part of efforts to sabotage U.N. moves to set up the international tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. A U.N. inquiry has implicated Syria and Lebanese officials in the Hariri killing. Damascus denies any involvement. Syria also denies any link to Fatah al-Islam, whose leader, Shaker al-Abssi, says the group has no organizational links to al Qaeda but agrees with its aim of fighting "infidels." Syria said it had closed two border crossings to north Lebanon due the violence. The main crossing remained open. Fatfat told Lebanon's pro-government Future TV: "There is someone trying to create security chaos to say to world public opinion: 'Look, if the tribunal is established, there will be security trouble in Lebanon'." The United States, France and Britain last week circulated a draft U.N. resolution that would unilaterally set up the court, which is at the heart of a political crisis in Lebanon. The army said the clashes began when Fatah al-Islam attacked army posts around the camp and in northern Tripoli. It sent reinforcements to the outskirts of Nahr al-Bared, but did not push inside, in line with a 1969 Arab agreement which bars Lebanese security forces from Palestinian camps. Television footage of a Tripoli building stormed by the army showed corpses, some charred, on a floor strewn with rubble. Security forces had also been trying to arrest Fatah al-Islam members suspected of robbing a bank on Saturday, security sources said. A group of them had been detained. Fatah al-Islam was formed last year by fighters who broke off from the Syrian-backed Fatah Uprising group.

Palestinians continue to kill each other..

Gaza lurches towards civil war as leaders lose control of gunmen battling on street Sonia Verma in Jerusalem and Azmi Keshawi in Gaza: Gaza was on the brink of civil war last night as violent clashes between Palestinian factions spiralled out of control. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, threatened to declare a state of emergency today, as fierce fighting raged on the streets. But as the death toll climbed to more than 40 in four days of the worst fighting since Mr Abbas forged a coalition Government with Fatah’s rival Hamas two months ago, he appeared powerless to stop it. Neither faction has been able to enforce three separate ceasefires declared in as many days. Rare, high-level talks between Mr Abbas and Khaled Meshaal, Hamas’s exiled leader, failed to produce any results beyond a loose agreement that the violence should end. ‘I heard the screams of women and children’ Hamas issued orders for its fighters to lay down their weapons late yesterday but there was no indication whether the order would be obeyed. At least 16 Palestinians were shot dead in internecine fighting yesterday and four Hamas gunmen were killed when an Israeli helicopter bombed their training camp near Rafah. Last night Palestinian politicians cautioned that if the violence continued, it would not only trigger the collapse of the Palestinian unity Government, but could also spell the end of the Palestinian Authority itself. “If the unity Government falls, the Palestinian Authority will dissolve,” said Mustafa Barghouti, the Palestinian Information Minister. He said Mr Abbas had told his Cabinet on Monday night: “This is my Government and if it falls, I will fall with it.” Such a scenario would strip the occupied territories of official Palestinian rule. Israel, as the occupying power, would then be forced to resume full control of the West Bank and Gaza. Mr Abbas’s resignation would effectively sever ties between the Palestinians and the West, which refuses to deal with the militant Hamas movement. Some Palestinian analysts predict that a collapse of the Palestinian Authority would pave the way for Jordanian custodial rule in the West Bank and a similar arrangement for Egypt in Gaza. “The message is the Palestinians cannot rule themselves. This fighting will only end if a third party takes over,” said Ibrahim Abrash, a political analyst in Gaza. Yesterday’s fighting began at about 6am when a group of Hamas loyalists raided the Gaza home of Rashid Abu Shabak, a Fatah security chief, killing six of his bodyguards. Mr Shabak’s family was not home at the time. Later Hamas fighters mistakenly killed five members of their own military wing when they ambushed a Palestinian security convoy. Yesterday afternoon, Israel fired missiles at a Hamas military compound in retaliation for recent rocket attacks from Gaza, which injured several Israeli civilians. Four Hamas militants were killed while eating lunch in the camp cafeteria. Israel has accused Hamas of using rocket attacks to provoke a military incursion from Israel into Gaza, which would unite feuding Palestinians against a common enemy. At the heart of the current conflict lies the unresolved rivalry between Mr Abbas’s Fatah Party and Hamas, led by Ismail Haniya, the Prime Minister. Despite a Saudi-brokered power-sharing agreement signed by the two leaders in March in Mecca aimed at ending factional fighting and restoring economic aid to the Palestinian Authority, the Unity Government has failed to achieve either goal. The resignation of Hani al-Qawasmeh, the Government’s top security official, this week, highlighted the bitter divide between Hamas and Fatah over who controls the Palestinian security forces. The promise of peace under unified rule has failed to trump factional loyalties, which have only become more deeply entrenched as law and order dissolves. Hamas has accused Fatah of “collaborating” with Washington, and accepting money and arms to bolster Mr Abbas’s elite Presidential Guard. One of Hamas’s first targets this week was a camp used by the force for training. Fatah counters that Hamas fighters are undermining the unity Government’s authority and the Palestinian cause by refusing to lay down their weapons or fall into rank.

Hamas killing more Fatah- nice civil war...

Hamas Starting A Wider War After its raid on the Karni crossing yesterday, Hamas could have claimed it to be a mistake and stood down its militia. Rather than avoid a civil war in Gaza, however, Hamas expanded its attacks to include key figures of Fatah leadership, including Mahmoud Abbas, and fired rockets into Israel to create a wider war: Hamas gunmen fatally shot six bodyguards from the rival Fatah movement and fired a barrage of rockets at southern Israel Wednesday, apparently attempting to draw Israel into the fierce Palestinian infighting as the Gaza Strip slid further into chaos. ... Fighting raged close to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' heavily guarded compound, which also was targeted by Hamas mortar fire overnight. Abbas, a moderate from Fatah, was not present. Early Wednesday, Hamas gunmen fired mortars and pipe bombs at the home of Fatah security chief Rashid Abu Shbak, before storming inside and killing six bodyguards, Palestinians security and medical officials said. There can be no more pretense of working with Hamas on any solutions for peace. Even Fatah has figured that much out. Fatah's spokesman called all Hamas members "killers, from top to bottom," and told the press that they want to turn Gaza into "a new Somalia or Darfur." While the Gaza fighting lacks the ethnic tensions of either place, Hamas seems determined to make them just as chaotic and violent as both. Fatah has a tough choice. While Hamas fires rockets into Israel, it can expect the Israelis to attack the rocket-launching positions. If it joins the attack on Hamas, then Fatah will look like collaborators. If they join Hamas, they will have to knuckle under to Hamas leadership, which is now trying to kill off their own leadership. If they do nothing, they will just make themselves easy targets for Hamas. Fatah is stuck in the middle. The Gaza experiment has failed in one way, and succeeded in another. Ariel Sharon gave Gaza away without any strings and gave the Palestinians an opportunity to show they could govern themselves. They have failed spectacularly to do so, and instead have turned it into a terrorist haven for launching attacks against Israel and each other. It succeeded in showing what a joke "land for peace" always has been and the futility of granting statehood to a bunch of terrorist lunatics. Oslo failed. Wye River failed. The road map failed. All of these failed because the Palestinians want the peace of annihilation rather than the peace of coexistence. They elected Hamas to power, and they are reaping the fruits of their choice. Quit enabling these terrorists with diplomatic initiatives and aid of any kind at all until they tire of the taste of blood and come to us for peace. www.captainsquartersblog.com

As surge takes hold- tribal leaders turn on al qaeda

BY ELI LAKE - Staff Reporter of the SunMay 14, 2007 http://www.nysun.com/article/54368 ABU GHRAIB, Iraq — In the aftermath of America's recent troop surge in Iraq, tribal leaders throughout this country are turning on Al Qaeda, and American military commanders are trying to exploit the new development by bringing tribe members into the Iraqi Security Forces. For those officers overseeing the new tribal diplomacy, signs are emerging that Iraq's deepest social networks — its tribes — are withdrawing their tacit acceptance of Al Qaeda and are becoming more willing to cooperate with American authorities to combat the terror network. The plan is inspired by some successes that the Marines and the Army had with tribes in Anbar province, but it is still in the early stages. While the military and CIA have tried to reach out to Iraq's tribes since before the war, those efforts yielded mixed results. The majority of Sunni tribes cut deals with Al Qaeda for cash — between $30,000 and $40,000, according to sheiks here — to turn a blind eye to Al Qaeda's activities. That arrangement is starting to fall away. "I see what I think is becoming a national trend, especially in areas influenced by Al Qaeda, where they have made inroads, and even in places where you see other forms of religious extremism, such as Jaish al-Mahdi, you have it from the South. It's coming, it's there," Lieutenant Colonel Richard Welch said in an interview. Colonel Welch, a public prosecutor in Ohio, spends his days meeting Iraqi tribal chiefs as he oversees tribal and religious outreach for the Multi-National Force in Baghdad. Sheikh Hussein al-Tamimi, whose tribe has been friendly to American forces since the invasion, agrees that many of his fellow chieftains have changed their position on Al Qaeda in recent months. "I think the motivation behind the change is to protect their interests," he said in an interview. "They lose business." Sheikh Hussein, as well as other sheikhs interviewed for this piece, said the turning point for the tribes was in September when Al Qaeda in Iraq declared the formation of the Islamic State of Iraq, a shadow state that in pockets of the country has established Islamic sharia courts and tried to provide some social services. The declaration was a direct challenge to the centuries-old tribal system that has prevailed in most of Iraq. As a result, the terrorists once seen as allies against the American invaders have also come to be seen as invaders. "Think about it in our terms," Colonel Welch said. "If I invite you to my home as a guest, and I give you a place in my home, then you slap around my family, it is a huge blow to my sense of honor, dignity, and respect. It is deeper than pride. You have bitten the hand that fed you." Despite the rising antipathy toward Al Qaeda, the tribal sheikhs in the Sunni regions in particular are very clear that their new alliance with the Americans is merely a tactical one. Sheikh Hussein summed it up: "We would like America, a friend, to rebuild the country. This is what we want, what the tribes want. But to stay here as a military force indefinitely is unacceptable." For Sheikh Hussein, however, the prospect of a speedy exit is also unacceptable. At a luncheon at a home of one of his cousins, he asked this reporter, "Please, tell the Democrats for now to stop pressuring Bush." Sheikh Hussein, a Shiite in a tribe that also contains Sunnis, has been one of the most valued assets for Lieutenant Colonel Kurt Pinkerton, who commands the 2nd Battalion of the 5th Cavalry Regiment in Abu Ghraib. In April, the sheikh informed Colonel Pinkerton that a faction of the powerful Sunni Zobai tribe was planning an assault on their fellow tribesmen and Al Qaeda and requested that his soldiers refrain from interfering. Nonetheless, one day after the fighting began, a message was relayed to the colonel asking for backup. The platoon that the colonel dispatched set up shop in a nearby house and defeated a small band of fighters on April 7. It was the first time a faction of the Zobai tribe had fought in alliance with, though not alongside, American forces. The significance of the fact that a portion of the Zobai tribe was willing to receive American help cannot be underestimated. The tribe has a century-long tradition of fighting invaders due to the fame of Sheikh Dhari, who was credited with killing a British colonel, Gerald Leachman, in August 1920. A scion of Sheikh Dhari, Harith al-Dhari, is the leading voice in the Association of Muslim Scholars, which has sanctioned attacks against Americans. A Zobai leader, who asked to be anonymous in part because his compound has withstood assaults from rival sheikhs affiliated with Al Qaeda, said he estimates that "98% of the people are now against Al Qaeda. The people who followed them and became partisans of Al Qaeda, they are either naïve, they were seduced, or coerced, or deceived, and some were looking out for their own political interests. I can put a lot of people in the third class. We call them lewd gangsters," he said. But he also conceded that for most of the war until the formation of the Islamic State of Iraq, the Zobai tribe tolerated Al Qaeda. "They announced the Islamic State of Iraq, and they said you are either on our side or stay home. They insulted our manhood." Making sure the anti-Qaeda side of the Zobai tribe's civil war prevails is a necessary condition for Colonel Pinkerton to secure his battle space. Unlike the Anbar Salvation Front, the colonel is wary of creating a separate tribal militia and is focusing his energies on a joint board of tribal leaders, American officers, and Iraqi officers to vet future candidates for the security forces. "I did not want to build these tribal security forces," Colonel Pinkerton said. "The tribes want to join the Iraqi army and the Iraqi police, but they want to stay where they are and patrol their own areas." At a meeting with the general of the police district that oversees Abu Ghraib, the American colonel boasted that he could muster 10,000 volunteers from the once-hostile tribes to join the national police and army. To date, he has a list of 1,300 volunteers whom he is trying to get the Iraqi security forces to accept. His initial outreach was more modest, based on an old Iraqi initiative, Night Watchman, whereby the police designated senior men in the village and gave them whistles to raise the alarm against thieves. "That worked well. They started expanding out and putting people to observe the enemy's movements. They would call us with the information, tell us about IEDs [improvised explosive devices]. We would get the IEDs and get the information where the people who placed them went, and then we would detain them." Formalizing this process has proved trickier. The Iraqi Security Forces have been wary of inviting members of tribes once seen as the enemy. Indeed, one of Colonel Pinkerton's liaisons on the tribal outreach — who asked not to be named — has to travel with the military in Abu Ghraib because he is a terrorist target. A police general in Abu Ghraib in one meeting said terrorists had kidnapped his own son, an event the colonel says he helped to resolve. The colonel says there have been times where he has denied requests to release detainees from allied sheikhs, including Sheikh Hussein al-Tamimi. "We had evidence on one guy. They asked us to let him go. But we looked at it and determined he was part of a militia," he said. Colonel Pinkerton has also had to confiscate weapons from the Tamimi tribe. Last Wednesday, after agreeing to return 27 AK–47 rifles, Sheikh Hussein said, "We will never use these weapons against you." As he walked out, the colonel told this reporter, "I believe him. But it doesn't matter. If they ever did turn their weapons on us, we have superior firepower. We would flatten them."

soldier and sheikh are like brothers against al qaeda

By Moni Basu Sunday, April 29, 2007, 11:22 PM The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Lt. Col. Miciotto Johnson has found an ally in Sheik Ahmed al-Rishawi in Ramadi, Iraq. Many formerly suspicious locals have rallied to the U.S. side after enduring terrorist atrocities. Ramadi, Iraq — One man is an African-American who grew up in south Atlanta, graduated from Washington High School and joined the Army after college. The other is a powerful Sunni sheik who reached adulthood in Ramadi and lived the bulk of his life under Saddam Hussein’s rule. One lost eight of his soldiers in Tameem, a western Ramadi neighborhood where rocket-propelled grenades, improvised explosive devices and suicide bombings were part of the daily vocabulary. The other lost his father and three brothers. They were assassinated by al-Qaida terrorists. A friendship between the two men, both in their early 40s, would have been unimaginable a few months ago. But Lt. Col. Miciotto Johnson and Sheik Ahmed al-Rishawi have learned to rely on each other to quell the insurgency in this part of the city. Though no one will openly admit it, it’s believed that the Anbar sheiks lent tacit support to insurgents operating in the restive province just west of Baghdad. But now Johnson, commander of the Army’s Task Force 1-77 Armor, makes himself at home on the sheik’s property. A burly man in a tan Army fire-retardant jumper, Johnson plops down on an oversized couch in an upstairs office in al-Rishawi’s vast compound, as much at ease here as he is in his battalion headquarters down the road at Camp Ramadi. That’s because last September, al-Rishawi’s younger brother, Sheik Sattar al-Rishawi, launched the “Anbar Awakening,” a movement to stop the extreme violence here. Since then, the al-Rishawi tribe has been America’s ally in the attempt to break al-Qaida’s firm grip. This afternoon, the elder al-Rishawi greets his American friend. “We are brothers,” al-Rishawi says. “We fight as one hand.” Johnson’s battalion has been responsible for neighborhoods in western Ramadi including Tameem, where earlier this month a suicide bomber driving a truck laden with TNT and chlorine gas smashed into a police checkpoint, killing 12. Task Force 1-77 has been working closely with the al-Rishawi sheiks to build up security. Johnson says the sheiks’ cooperation has been key. Violent attacks in Tameem, as in the rest of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, have decreased significantly. “A lot of times we say we want to capture hearts and minds,” Johnson says. “How can you capture hearts and minds if you don’t understand the people and what is important to them? The only thing you understand is what you want to achieve.” Outside al-Rishawi’s mansion, tall date palms sway in brisk winds. Camels graze in a nearby pen. Security guards stroll the grounds carrying automatic rifles, and a U.S. tank sits outside the main gate. Al-Rishawi’s assistants serve rounds of chai tea in gold-rimmed glasses. The Iraqi and the Georgian talk as though they have been lifelong friends. Though the sheik speaks some English, the two rely on a translator except for simple pleasantries. Johnson depends on the al-Rishawi tribal leaders for information and cultural awareness. They have told him things, he says, that no counterinsurgency manual could ever teach. A while ago, the sheiks pinpointed on a map a Tameem apartment building that harbored terrorists. They told Johnson that if he could control those apartments, he would own the entire area. The sheiks were right. “They helped me understand my operating space through Iraqi eyes,” he says. One recent morning, before the sun has fully risen, 1-77 Armor assists Iraqi police in “Operation Kangaroo,” a land, air and water assault to clear an area south of Tameem known as al-Tash. Once again, Johnson is relying on the sheik’s tip that insurgents have fled south from Tameem. Johnson’s soldiers provide security as Iraqi police search houses, question residents and detain 30 suspects. The second phase of the mission aims to set up a joint American-Iraqi security station in al-Tash. A palatial house belonging to a man arrested 18 months ago is tactically and geographically ideal. It was believed to be empty, but a woman related to the al-Tash mayor has moved in recently with her children. Johnson must make a decision on whether to kick the woman out or look for another place. He needs sound advice so that he doesn’t end up angering residents and, most importantly, the mayor. Johnson could call his brigade commander on the radio. Or seek out other officers — both American and Iraqi —in the area. But he reaches instead for his cellphone. From the center of the battle space on the banks of Lake Habbaniyah, Johnson dials Ahmed al-Rishawi’s number. He respects the sheik enough to rely on him in mid-mission. The U.S. military often touts its partnership with the Iraqis, but a relationship with this kind of depth is rarely seen. Al-Rishawi says his district would still be a butchering ground had the Anbar Awakening not opened the door to a new alliance with the Americans. The people of Tameem, Al-Rishawi jokes, would elect Johnson police chief if an election were held today. And to the people of Atlanta, the sheik asks: “Where did you guys come up with a hero like this?”

good news: diyala establishing own salvation front

The Diyala Salvation Front: Tribal leaders in the troubled province organize against al Qaeda In March, we noted the successful model of the Anbar Salvation Council will very likely be replicated elsewhere in regions where al Qaeda has established bases of operation. We singled out Diyala in particular, as al Qaeda's campaign of murder and intimidation was beginning to anger the tribes much as it did in Anbar province. Al Qaeda's establishment of its Islamic State of Iraq, with its capital in Baqubah made the province ripe for a major Coalition operation in the region. In early March, Al Sabaah reported the local sheikhs in Diyala were organizing against al-Qaeda and its Islamic State of Iraq, "which [is] spreading corruption in the province districts." Today, the speculation has become a reality, as "Arab tribesmen in Baqubah have said they will form a tribal alliance to cleanse the Diyala province of foreign fighters and those of the al-Qaeda terrorist network in Iraq." "Tribesman Sheikh Wameed al-Jabouri told al-Hayat that a number of tribes had signed a cooperation agreement to undertake this mission and to bring the city back to how 'it used to be,'" notes DPA. "The agreement could be considered "a national charter" that proves their rejection of the actions of the terrorist groups, al-Jabouri said." The Diyala tribes have requested the U.S. military "not to interfere with their plans," according to DPA. "The US forces committed fatal mistakes in handling the security situation in Baqubah," said Sheikh Dari Fahd al-Assadi, the Deputy governor of Diyala. This resentment stems from the U.S. draw down of forces in Diyala last fall, and the handover of security to the Iraqi Police and Army. Mistakes by the Iraqi security forces were compounded by a concerted campaign by al Qaeda to destroy the security forces, particularly the police, and intimidate the local population. The reality is, absent a dramatic organization by the local tribes and a massive co opting of sympathetic insurgent groups, U.S. and Iraqi security forces will need to conduct major operation in Diyala to uproot al Qaeda and its Islamic State. Diyala has become the main hub of al Qaeda's operations. Al Qaeda in Iraq made Baqubah the capital of its rump Islamic State of Iraq. Since the inception of the Baghdad Security Plan in mid-February, the security situation, which was deteriorating after U.S. forces pulled back last fall, has markedly worsened. Al Qaeda has prepared fighting positions, supply bases, IED traps, bomb rigged buildings, and training camps in the province. Over 2,000 hardened al Qaeda fighters fled Baghdad and are operating in Diyala. An American intelligence official and a U.S. military officer informs us that al Qaeda is operating along the lines of Hezbollah's military structure in Lebanon. Recent al Qaeda attacks in the region bear this out. Al Qaeda is organized in small military units with infantry, mortars, anti-tank and anti-aircraft teams, as well as suicide and IED cells and the accompanying logistical nodes. Al Qaeda has been conducting a terror campaign to remove tribal leaders and others who oppose them, while waging a campaign of intimidation designed to cower the local population. The U.S. and Iraqi security forces have preparing the battlefield in Diyala until the full compliment of U.S. forces are in theater and able to finish securing the Baghdad "belts" - the regions surrounding Baghdad. The Diyala Campaign is only is its opening phase, with U.S. and Iraqi forces conducting raids, search and destroy missions, establishing forward operating bases and logistic nodes in preparation for the full assault sometime early this summer. The establishment of the yet to be named Diyala Salvation Front is a crucial element to establishing local intelligence networks and an auxiliary force to hunt al Qaeda. The influence of Sheikh Sattar al Rishawi and his Anbar Salvation Council cannot be underestimated in the formation of the anti al Qaeda tribal alliance in Diyala. The Anbar Salvation Council has been operating outside its provincial boundaries and has sent emissaries into Diyala, Salahadin, Niwena and other provinces in an effort to expand his anti al Qaeda Awakening movement nationwide. www.billroggio.com

Two days of no bombings in baghdad

There have been no major suicide or car bombings inside Baghdad over the past two days. Mortar, roadside bombings and small arms attacks persist, but sectarian killings are still below the levels prior to the implementation of the Baghdad Security Plan. Much of the significant violence has occurred in Baghdad's "Belts," the regions about 20 miles outside Baghdad. This is where the latest two significant attacks occurred. South of Baghdad in Kufa, the sister city of Karbala, al Qaeda struck with a suicide car bomb near a market, killing 16 and wounding another 70. "Witnesses said the bomber drove a minibus into an open-air market packed with morning shoppers in central Kufa," reports Reuters. Another suicide bomber struck outside a police station in Diyala province. Two Iraqis were killed and 15 more wounded during the strike. This follows a deadly attack on a U.S. military convoy on Sunday. Six soldiers and a Russian journalist were killed after an IED struck their vehicle. Task Force 145 captured 13 al Qaeda operatives during a series of raids in Baghdad, Karma and Tal Afar on Monday and Tuesday. The Baghdad raid also resulted in finding "several documents related to a chemical VBIED operation." Fifteen al Qaeda operatives were captured during separate raids in Balad, Hillah, Fallujah and near Taji. The raid west of Taji netted "three individuals with suspected ties to al-Qaeda senior leadership during two separate raids." Al Qaeda in Iraq's information minister and two other senior operatives were killed in this region last week. Iraq security forces are also on the offensive against al Qaeda and the insurgency. Eighty six suspected insurgents were captured and one killed during raids inside Baghdad. Iraqi soldiers also captured 4 insurgents near Mosul after they placed over 300 pounds of explosives under a oil pipeline which runs into Turkey.

Iraqi police academy continues to improve

Kirkuk Police Academy takes training to a new level 8 May 2007 http://www.centcom.mil/sites/uscentcom2/FrontPage%20Stories/Kirkuk%20Police%20Academy%20takes%20training%20to%20a%20new%20level.aspx By Spc. Amanda Morrissey5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment KIRKUK — It’s the sound that strikes you first. The yelling and chanting, shrieking whistles, the thunder of boots striking the ground. Then there is the visual: hundreds of Iraqis lined up and arranged in groups of blue uniforms. Some stand still, some march, and some perform movements in place at the commands of their instructors. It is in this crucible that men are transformed from civilians into Iraqi police officers. This is the new life of the cadets at the Kirkuk Police Academy. Just a few weeks ago, these men lived the normal everyday lives of Iraqi citizens. Then they answered the call to serve their country and their people, leaving behind the life they knew for one of training, discipline, sacrifice and honor. “The training is hard, but it’s also easy because we have a goal to reach,” said Adnan Omar Ahmed, a cadet at the academy. “The majority (of cadets) came here for more than just a job. They came here because a lot of them got hurt by terrorists. They have had a cousin killed, a relative, or a brother. Everybody has a problem with the terrorists and the bad guys.” With more than 1,000 graduates from the previous four training sessions, and almost 900 cadets in the current session, the Kirkuk Police Academy draws in many whose desire for justice leads them to become police officers. The Iraqi police basic training experience is similar to that of U.S. soldiers. During the eight-week course, cadets engage in physical training every morning, followed by drill and ceremony and weapons training the rest of the day. All of their instructors are Iraqi police officers. “We teach them how to use the guns and how to defend themselves and the police station they’re going to work with,” said Capt. Samad Mustafa, a weapons instructor. “It’s not a game, it’s something important. That’s what I’m teaching them.” It is a demanding schedule that leaves many cadets exhausted by the end of the day. However, they come back every day, ready to learn more of what it takes to be a police officer. Col. Samir Morshed Khorshid, the chief of the academy, is credited for the high attendance of the academy. Samir took charge of the police academy more than a year ago, and has worked with 25th Infantry Division soldiers on the Police Transition Team (PTT) at nearby Forward Operating Base Warrior. PTT soldiers work as advisers to the Iraqi colonel, helping him improve training at the academy. “We step behind the Iraqi instructors, let them take charge and do their own thing,” said Staff Sgt. Amaury Garcia, a PTT adviser to Samir. “Basically, we’re there to assist if they need assistance, or mentor them on whatever they need.” Some improvements implemented by Samir are the additional training programs offered at the academy. Besides basic training for cadets, the academy offers a variety of advanced training courses which are taught by International Police Liaison Officers (IPLO), civilian police officers from the United States. The academy has graduated about 3,100 officers from its advanced training courses, including criminal investigation, sergeants training program, first aid and computer skills. Currently, more than 100 officers are enrolled in advanced training courses. After attending the Kirkuk Police Academy, those officers will also be able to share their knowledge with fellow officers back at their stations. “I came to learn the computer, and I’ve learned a lot here,” said Abas Nathim. “There are many guys in my police station, and they will ask me questions about the word (program), the keyboard, and I can teach them what I learned here.” Samir also wants to start a training course for women who want to become police officers. He is in the planning stage of the operation, but hopes to recruit 100 women so he can start a trial course soon, Garcia said. Through the combined efforts of Samir, the academy instructors, the PTT soldiers and IPLOs, the next generation of police officers should hit the streets of Kirkuk with better training and a wider range of knowledge to use in the fight to secure their city. “I can’t speak for the rest of Iraq, but I feel that they’re going to make a big change overall in Kirkuk,” Garcia said. “I believe that Col. Samir is doing a great thing. He’s all about training and doing the right thing. He’s actually taking charge and leading them forward.”

More Good News from Iraq

Provincial Council reconvenes in Ramadi West PAOCAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq – The Al Anbar Provincial Council convened here today after nearly a year of meeting in Baghdad due to the security situation in Ramadi.Provincial Gov. Mamoun Sami Rashid Al Awani met with representatives from across Al Anbar to discuss the resolution of major issues in the province, including economic development, improved infrastructure and continued improvements in security. Significant among the issues discussed was the creation of a committee to work with the Ministry of Interior and the Government of Iraq on security enforcement along the Syrian and Jordanian borders.The council is composed of sheikhs and civic leaders representing Al Anbar, including members of Sahawa Al Anbar (Al Anbar Awakening). This is the second meeting of the council in the provincial capital this year, a city of about 400,000 roughly 70 miles west of Baghdad. The last time the council met in the Ramadi area was March of this year, when Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki made a historic visit to Al Anbar to meet with regional leaders. A site of regular attacks since American forces occupied Al Anbar in 2003, the government center in Ramadi is now being renovated. The decision to move ahead with the renovation is largely due to an increased level of security in the city, fueled by increased Iraqi police presence and local cooperation with Coalition Forces. Office spaces and a hotel are also slated for construction to support the provincial government and its guests. The council will continue meeting monthly at Camp Blue Diamond until renovations on the government center in Ramadi are complete.

Good News with Iraq training programs

LTG Martin Dempsey, Commander, Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, with an operational update for the Blogger's Roundtable, Friday, 04 May at 12 Noon Eastern. The general assessment in Baghdad is that at the tactical level the metrics are doing quite well. Iraqi soldiers are fighting and dying and moving around the country in large numbers. Commanders of units and Iraqi leaders are acknowledging responsibilities much more than a year ago. Systems and processes like architectures and support is a more challenging task- the higher up in the echelons of command the greater the vulnerability becomes due to unsophisticated backgrounds. Most of the senior leaders are still from the former regime and old habits die hard. However, there is some leadership which is very keen on new techniques and changing the old ways. At the institution level progress is taking place but we aren't there yet. As for previous problem areas: logistics- this was built to be contractor supported as a conscious decision from the beginning to get soldiers out on security missions instead of in the background. This deferred self performed logistics by the military itself. Life support and food are contract supported so this gives other Iraqi civilians jobs. Overcoming challenges is a large problem since our enemies attack vulnerabilities which they know well. Mission support restructuring is getting 10 dollars per day and there is less corruption at the current time- so they can actually recieve all 10 dollars worth of support. Operations and maintenance are also civilian contracted- but we are aspiring to be self supported. This will take time to get to have all systems being run by the Army. An expansion by 20K troops for the next year is the target for now. Sheikhs in Anbar have been strongly encouraging recruits for police- is it same for army? The Annual instride assessments have been conducted to grow the right amount of capabilities as the situation on the ground changes. We will be up to 370K by end of 2007 for growth within all security forces. Iraqis are funding this growth plan of 24 battalions. The replenishing of ranks to account for attrition is an ongoing process. There are now 5 regional training centers to replenish and grow the ranks. In anbar there is great enthusiasm to join the police forces. Originally the police went from 8K to 11K- but now up to 14K and still more recruits are coming every week. There are currently 12 police academies with another one coming on line in Habbaniyah. As far as joining the army, the Sunni recruits would rather be in the police as they don't like to blend in with a majority Shia army and so this is tougher but we are still filling two divisions. How is convoy safety in southern Iraq? Has it been deteriorating due to Iraq taking over the battle space? There are long lines of communication with Kuwait which we are working very hard on. We used to run convoys from Safwan and up through Basra. But we are soon to open a route from Kuwait City and up through more desolate areas to get around troublespots for our convoys. Electronic countermeasures are being upgraded. We have one specialized brigade tasked for convoy security. What is the impact of delayed funding? During the meeting in Amman between President Bush and Maliki they decided to accelerate the indigenous Iraqi force development. The army has anticipated a loss of money months ago. So the US army fronted cash flow against arrival of supplemental so they have not had an impact yet. But they do need the money for momentum and to repay the OSD. This can't be delayed past july. The Mcclatchey press report was an oversimplification of everything that is happening. The coalition forces are coming in to provide a greater opportunity to partner with Iraqi units. Security has become focal point but still training is ongoing. How is the awol rate? It is a manual system to track who is where. some men walk off as individuals and then come back so there is flux in the ranks. Last fall 2,500 soldiers returned back to their units. Pay is becoming automated with voice and data- but need to put in electronic banking system which is problematic in the middle east. plus bandwidth problems. With each day do the Iraqi security forces get stronger or weaker- is time on the side of the government or on the insurgency and how do you determine this? As long as we don't stop our support of the ministries and the military in the near future, time is on the side of the government and the Iraqi army. Great progress has been made, they need more work but they are patient. It is hard to train an entire army in the middle of fighting a war, but we can get it done as long as we continue with the task at hand.

Al Qaeda gets more bad news

More Cracks Emerging in Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" By Evan Kohlmann- Counter Terrorism Report 3 May 2007 http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/05/more_cracks_emerging_in_alqaid.php In the wake of the recent and very public rift between the Sunni Islamic Army of Iraq (IAI) and Al-Qaida's "Islamic State", yet more cracks are suddenly beginning to show in the unified jihadist coalition that Al-Qaida has been trying to assemble in Sunni regions of Iraq. Today, the IAI--along with factions from at least two other predominant Sunni militant groups, the Mujahideen Army and the notorious Ansar al-Sunnah Army--have officially announced the formation of their own separate political coalition: "The Reformation and Jihad Front" (RJF). This new front would seem to be a direct challenge to the authority of Al-Qaida's "Islamic State" and is said to enjoy support from Sunni Islamist circles (like Ansar al-Sunnah) which have, in the past, worked closely with Al-Qaida. The new "Reformation and Jihad Front" is also courting the involvement of the 1920 Revolution Brigades, though it is--as of yet--unclear what their reaction has been. It should be noted that the RJF appears to be disproportionately influenced by the IAI. The new RJF Internet website was registered and paid for by IAI online couriers. Meanwhile, the founding statement from the RJF strongly echoes many of IAI's recent complaints about Al-Qaida in Iraq--the document waxes on about the need to safeguard the wealth and lives of innocent Muslims, avoiding the pitfalls of fanaticism, and the adoption of realistic political goals that are in tune with the present geopolitical circumstances. Certainly, the RJF is no friend of America, or of democracy in Iraq--but should it succeed, it will present an existential political threat to the future of Al-Qaida in Iraq. In fact, it is arguably a far more significant setback for Al-Qaida than anything achieved thus far by the so-called "Anbar Salvation Council" or other such recent darlings of the media. On the Net: http://www.reformandjihadfront.org

Speaker of Palestine Parliament: kill all americans

The incomparable Captain over at Captain Qaurters brings the smackdown on our "friends" the Palestinians. "Pam at Atlas Shrugged had this earlier, but the Jerusalem Post has a fresh report on the latest threat from Palestinians against the West. The Speaker of the Palestinian Authority parliament has called Palestinians to the task of murdering all Americans, in addition to the mission of wiping Jews off the face of the Earth: Sheik Ahmad Bahr, acting Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, declared during a Friday sermon at a Sudan mosque that America and Israel will be annihilated and called upon Allah to kill Jews and Americans "to the very Last One". Following are excerpts from the sermon that took place last month, courtesy of MEMRI. Ahmad Bahr began: "You will be victorious" on the face of this planet. You are the masters of the world on the face of this planet. Yes, [the Koran says that] "you will be victorious," but only "if you are believers." Allah willing, "you will be victorious," while America and Israel will be annihilated. I guarantee you that the power of belief and faith is greater than the power of America and Israel. They are cowards, who are eager for life, while we are eager for death for the sake of Allah. That is why America's nose was rubbed in the mud in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Somalia, and everywhere. Bahr continued and said that America will be annihilated, while Islam will remain. The Muslims "will be victorious, if you are believers." Oh Muslims, I guarantee you that the power of Allah is greater than America, by whom many are blinded today. Some people are blinded by the power of America. We say to them that with the might of Allah, with the might of His Messenger, and with the power of Allah, we are stronger than America and Israel. The Hamas spokesperson concluded with a prayer, saying: "Oh Allah, vanquish the Jews and their supporters. Oh Allah, count their numbers, and kill them all, down to the very last one. Oh Allah, show them a day of darkness. Oh Allah, who sent down His Book, the mover of the clouds, who defeated the enemies of the Prophet defeat the Jews and the Americans, and bring us victory over them." This speech took place in April. Coincidentally, that was the same month that we sent $59 million in aid -- to the same Palestinian Authority in which this lunatic serves as Speaker. The US has provided the Palestinians with more than $1.6 billion in aid since Oslo. This is what our money buys."

Syrians bolstered by visit of pelosi

Syrians bolstered by visit of 'good American' Pelosi By Betsy PisikTHE WASHINGTON TIMES Published May 2, 2007 DAMASCUS, Syria -- The second most popular politician in Syria these days may be an American: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The California Democrat warmed Syrian hearts with her trip last month to Damascus, an event that people still share with visiting Americans as conversational currency. "Nancy Pelosi is good, yes?" asked a Damascus laborer who found himself sitting next to an American at a greasy gyro stand this week. "Nancy Pelosi, good American." Pictures of Mrs. Pelosi and Syrian President Bashar Assad -- officially Syria's most popular citizen -- still turn up on the local news channels, especially during coverage of the dispute between President Bush and Congress over the Iraq war spending bill. Mrs. Pelosi's two-day visit to Damascus was a major news event here. Camera crews trailed her as she bought sweets in the ancient Hamadieh souk, made the sign of the cross at what is thought to be the tomb of John the Baptist and donned a black abaya to visit the historic Omayyad Mosque. Mrs. Pelosi, 67, is praised as "a friend of Syria," and that makes her more influential than Oprah Winfrey and more appealing than the old Hollywood movies shown on satellite television. Many Damascus residents say her private visit with Mr. Assad and senior ministers shattered Washington's attempt to isolate the regime. "She was enormously popular here, a hero," said one such resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "This is the best thing that has happened here, if it proves [Mr. Assad] was right not to give concessions." Along with recent visits by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and officials from the European Union, the resident added, Mrs. Pelosi's trip "bolsters the regime with the Syrian people, and it shows that isolating Syria won't work." More than burnishing the regime's image in Syria, Mrs. Pelosi is seen as the well-dressed woman who stood up to President Bush, possibly the most unpopular figure in the Arab world after former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The White House criticized her visit, both on the constitutional grounds that she was usurping executive powers and on policy grounds that she was undermining months of diplomatic efforts. Mrs. Pelosi said she raised substantive issues with Syrian leaders, urging them to stop insurgents from entering Iraq, help win the release of Israeli soldiers thought to be held captive by Lebanese and Palestinian militias, and end Syria's support for terrorist groups. But nobody talks about that now. "I love her," said an Iraqi woman who has emigrated to Syria. "She's a grandmother, so handsome, so cute. I see myself, my old self, in her." Despite the lingering personal affection, few expect U.S. policy to change as a result of Mrs. Pelosi's visit."She is a different face of America, but she does not have ideas, any solutions," the Iraqi woman said. "I watch TV all day, and I know that only the faces change."

Missile defense moves ahead By John E. Carey Published May 1, 2007 Washington Times On March 23, 1983, President Ronald Reagan announced from the Oval Office, "I've reached a decision which offers a new hope for our children in the 21st century." He explained his vision -- and his defense budget's inclusion -- of the first funds to go toward this nation's missile defense effort. Liberals, and most of the media, derided the president's project as "star wars." Since 1983, America's Missile Defense effort has become a multinational, multi-system effort: and it has come down to earth and the sea. Many of the once dreamed of new space systems are gone. Instead, Missile Defense today is a collage of ground, sea, air and space sensors and weapons. Last Thursday, the U.S. Navy and the Ballistic Missile Defense Agency did something never before accomplished. The U.S. Navy cruiser USS Lake Erie demonstrated the capability of the ship systems and combat team to simultaneously detect, track and engage both a cruise missile target and a ballistic missile target. Both targets were destroyed. The event was conducted at the Pacific Missile Range Facility which is a fully instrumented range capable of squeezing all the needed engineering data out of an event like this. "Today's test demonstrates the true flexibility and depth of capability inherent in the Aegis BMD Weapon System," said Rear Adm. Brad Hicks, the Missile Defense Agency's Aegis BMD program director. "The simultaneous engagement highlights the flexibility and power of the SPY-1 radar and the weapon system's capability to manage and prioritize the engagement of the two threats." For the Navy and the AEGIS Weapon System, this was the eighth successful ballistic missile intercept in 10 attempts. The Aegis BMD has also successfully supported more than 15 ballistic missile defense system tracking tests since June 2004. Also on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dismissed as "ludicrous" Russian concerns that Washington's plans to deploy anti-missile defenses in Europe would endanger Moscow's nuclear arsenal. After more than a decade of discussions and planning, the U.S. plans to install radar scanners in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland. This would counter possible ballistic missile threats from a place like Iran. Moscow has objected, saying the plan somehow threatens its nuclear deterrent. "Let's be real about this and realistic about this. The idea that somehow 10 interceptors and a few radars in Eastern Europe are going to threaten the Soviet strategic deterrent is purely ludicrous and everybody knows it," Miss Rice told reporters. Ballistic Missile Defenses give options to military people and politicians facing a wider threat of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction in the hands of unpredictable or belligerent world leaders.Last July 4, North Korea test-fired a long-range missile and five shorter-range missiles. Though the long-range test failed within a minute, it highlighted ongoing efforts to achieve longer-range missiles. North Korea next tested a nuclear weapon. And in Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad practically makes daily pronouncements about his nuclear ambitions. Iran has already demonstrated a missile capable of striking regional neighbors and potentially reaching into Europe.Meanwhile, thanks to Ronald Reagan's strategic vision, American and allied Missile Defense efforts are moving ahead and making progress every day. The "Gipper" would be proud. John E. Carey commanded an AEGIS ship, served in President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) and is a frequent contributor to The Washington Times.